Friction-clutch.



G. o'. MARTIN. FBIUTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION' FILED MAY 19, 1910.

Batentedar. 5, 1912.

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To all whom it may concern:

GEORGE CUSHING MARTIN, OF LOS ,ANGELES, CALIFORNIA..

FRIc'rlIoN-cfu'rcn.

Specification@ Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

Application med may 19, 1910. serial No. 562,297.

Be it lmown that I, Grogan CUsHiNc MAn'riN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles andStateof California, have invented a new and useful Friction-Clutch, of

. which the following is a specification.

An object' of this invention is to provide a friction clutch that willbe superior to clutches heretofore known in that it is positive in itsaction and is instantaneous in its releaseso that the wear of the partsis greatly reduced and the life of the clutch greatly increased.

An advantage gained by thls invention 1s freedomfrom spinning of thedriven parts 'after the clutch has been operated for release. l'

'Another object ofthe invention is to provide a clutch whichautomaticallyy adjusts itself to take up wear; also to provide forlatching the clutch in its operable position. Another object is toprovide for releasing the latch upon the release of the clutch.

Other objects and advantages may appear from the subjoined detaildescription. I

This invention is capable of embodiment in. various forms to provide ayielding clutch which will sustain a definite strain to transmit rotarymotionV in reverse directions, and is also capable of embodiment in saidvarious forms to provide a device that will operate as a yieldingratchet clutch to transmit rotary motion in one direction only; the.second kind of clutch being produced by simply omitting certain elementsthat are present in the first-mentioned kind.

The clutch is made operable by a resilient toggle-joint device thatforces shoes carried by one rotary `member into engagement with acircular face of a second rotary member;

and the resiliency of the toggle-joint device may be provided byemploying a bowed re vsilient toggle bar or by an interposed spring.

The latter form will be illustrated.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invent-ion.

Figure 1 is a view of a clutch embodying l this invention as applied toconnect two shafts, portions of which are shown. Some of the parts areshown in elevation and others are shown in longitudinal section onirregular line indicated by arf-ml, Figs. 4 and 5 One of the wedges isshown int-act, and another is shown partly in section. Fig.

2 is .a longitudinal section of the sleeve on line indicated by @c2-m2,Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a.

Vcross sectionof the sleeve and wedges from line Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4is a sectional elevation on line m4, Fig. 1. Flg. 5 is a fragmentarysectlon on line indicated by wS-w,

Fig. 1 the clutch head being provided with a gear 1n this view.

Fig. 6 is a plan .of one of 'the toggle springs. p Fig. 7 is anelevation of one of the toggle bars. Fig. 8 isan end view of the clutchcore. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of one of the wedgesand its pin.

Arrows on the section lines in the several views indicate the directionof sight.

lThe driving shaft 1 may be of any usual,

form and a fly-wheel 2 forming one clutch member may be provided with aclutch able parts of the clutch. The housing 8 is` provided with acentral opening 9 to receive.

a sleeve 10 which is slidingly mounted on `the driven shaft 11 by thefeather 12 and rotates with said shaft.

Inside the chamber 3 of the clutch head 2 are a plurality of segmen .lshoes 13, the outer curved faces of which 'are concentric with theperipheral wall 3 of the chamber 3. Said shoes are centrally recessed ontheir inner faces and inthe recesses 14 thereof are seated leaf-liketoggle-springs 15, which are supported on the floors of the recesses andnormally extend along the chords of the recesses 14 which are segmentalin form so that the springs may be bowed outwardly by pressure fromwithin at their mid-length.` Toggle bars 16 and 17 are det-achablvar-yranged in pairs and converge outwardly to engage -the springs 15centrally, the inner ends of said toggle barsbeing engaged by wedges 18,each of which is provided with two seats 19 and`20, to pivotally holdthe inner ends of the toggle bars 16, 17, the outer ends of which areprovided with means in the form of lugs 21 to engage in holes 22 in thetogglesprings 15 .for the purpose of holding the toggle springsl andvchamber 3 to receive operative parts of the clutch and serves thepurpose of the clutch-l clutch-head 2. Said core is provided with wedgechambers 26 having extensions 27 and divergent loors 29. A wedge 18 anda pair of toggle-bars 16, 17, are contained in each of said chambers 26,andthe inner faces 28 of the wedges 18 slide along the divergent floorsor inner walls 29 of the chambers 26 to force the toggle-bars outwardand to allow them to return under pressure of the toggle springs.4

Resilient means in the form of one or more springs for each toggle-barare arranged in the extensions 27; said springs being opposed to eachother in pairs as indicated at 30 and 31, and tending to hold theopposed .toggle-bars 16 and 17 of each pair oppositely aslant fromradial position so that upon any rotation of either member in eitherdirection when the floating shoes 13 are in engagement with therim wall3" of the chamber 3, the clutching action may Quickly occur by themoving of one or the.

other of the toggle-bars toward a radial position as will be understoodby comparison between the toggle-bars shown in Fig. 4 and those shown inFig. 5; the outer clutch members 2 and 2 in each figure beingrepresented as rotating clock-wise, and the member 23 being representedas still in Fig. 4 and as rotating clock-wise in Fig. 5. The

toggle-bars 16 and 17 extend along the outyside faces of the wedges 18in the seats 19,

20, respectively, and the wedges slide along the toggle-bars and alongthe seats 29 of the core 23 to move the toggle-bars outwardly toward theshoe in order to force the shoe into frictional contact with theperipheral wall 3 of the clutch chamber 3. j

' The wedges 18 are. mounted in slots 32 that extend along the sleeve 10which is provided with a circumferential groove 33 in which pins 34extend from the wedges 18, whereby saidwedges are held against endwisemovement relative to the sleeve so that when the sleeve is shiftedendwise along the driven -shaft 11 the wedges 18 will be moved rinto thechamber 3 along between the oblique faces 29 of the core and the innerends of the toggle-bars 16 and 17, thereby to force said toggle-barsoutwardly and to consequently act upon the togglesprings 15 to. forcethe shoes 13 into contact with the peripheral wall of the chamber 3, sothat saidl shoes will frictionally engage said wall and will movetherewith, tending to bring. one of each pair of toggle-bars into radialrelation to the core.

The side walls vof the chambers 26 adjacent the toggle-bars extendradially ofthe. core so that when either of the toggle-bars of a pair isstopped by one of said side walls of its chamber, either right or left,accord- S. I

in as the rotation is to the right or left, said toggle-bar is in radialposition and has consequently exerted to the limit its expansive forceupon the shoe, thereby forcing the shoe against the peripheral wall ofthe chamber 3 as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 so as to exert the maximumfriction to which t-he device is adjusted. The toggle springs 15 are ofsuch strength and can be brought under such tension t at they willeffect suiiicient frictional engagement of the .head and shoes to causethe shafts 1 and 11 to rotate together under a determined load and 'toallow slippage under an'excessive load.

On a movement of the sleeve .10 from the clutch chamber 3 as indicatedby the large arrow on the sleeve in Fig. 1, the wedges 18 are withdrawnrelieving the outward pressure against the toggle-bars and permittingthe returning springs 30, 31, to immediately force the toggle-bars awayfrom the radial or' clutching position, thus relieving all frictionbetween the shoes 13 and the peripheral wall 3" of the clutchhead 2. Thetoggle-bars 16 and 17 are usually arranged in pairs as shown in Fig. 4,aslant toward a radius of the core and the springs 30, 31, are of equalstrength so that when the toggle-bars are free to yield to said springsthey will be brought into the position shown in Fig. 4 where the anglebetween the toggle-bars is bisected by a radiusof Vthe core.

The sleeve-operating spring 35 tends to A force the sleeve toward theclutch-head, thereby to insert the wedges as above stated,

and the retracting lever 36 pivo-ted at 37 to a support 38 havingbifurcations 39 pivoted by pivots 40 to a collar 41 that surrounds thesleeve 10 and allows the same to rotate freely, is provided to retractthe sleeve and consequently the wedges. From the nature of the view onlyone furcation of the'lever is shown. By operating lever 36 by foot orotherwise, the sleeve may be withdrawn against the force of spring .5`to release the clutchwhich is normally held in engagement by said spring35.

Latehes 42 pivoted by pivots 43 to a collar 44 that is fixed by feather45 to rotate with the driven shaft 11 and is slidable thereon, areprovided to engage an annular shoulder 46 of the sleeve 10 when thewedges are fully seated. Said latches are provided with beveled tips 47that are in the path of the collar 41 when the latches are latched andsaid collar 41 is mounted in a Way 48 on the sleeve that is longer thanthe collar so that there is sufficient play of the collar along the wayto release the latches by reason of contact with the tips 47 before thecollar 41 comes into contact with the shoulder 46 of the sleeve to forcethe sleeve against the pressure of the spring y35. An-

' bers and is normally held in commission by the spring 435 which forcesthe wedges 18 into the chamber 3, thus to force the resilient togglemeans outward. By operation of the lever 36 the wedges are withdrawnagainst the pressure of the spring 35.

The resiliency of the toggle means may be greater or less incorrespondence with the power to be transmitted and in any instance whenthe toggle is forced to exert its maximum pressure there is still apossible slip between the shoes and the member with which they engage sothat the engine run,- ning at high speed may be connected with its loadwithout the jerkl or jarf that wouldv otherwise occur. Any number ofshoes, within the judgment and purpose of the constructor may be used,each being provided with one or more of the toggle'bars as desired. Byproviding two oppositely disposed toggle bars for each shoe the clutchworks the same in either direction and by omitting the bars on one sidethe clutch operates as a ratchet clutch to catch in one direction only.

I claim:

1. A clutch comprising two relatively rotatable members, floating shoesbetween said members, resilient means operable by relative rotation ofsaid members to force the shoes into frictional engagement with one ofsaid members upon relative rotation of.

the members in one direction, means to normally hold said resilientmeans in operative position to force said shoes, and means to retractsaid forcing means to release the pressure of the shoes.

2. A clutch comprising) two relatively rotatable members, floatingshoes'between said members, resilient means operable by relativerotation of' said members to force the shoes into frictional engagementwith one of said members upon relative rotation of."

the members in one direction, wedge means to normally hold saidresilient means in operative position to force said shoes, andV means toretract said wedge means to release the pressure of the shoes.

3. A clutch comprising two relatively rotatable members, a floating shoeadapted to frictionally engage one of said members, re-

silient toggle means between said shoe and the other member, said togglemeans operable through relative rotation of said members toV force theshoe toward the memberA with whichritrengages, means to force the-toggle means into operating position, and ymeans to retract said toggleforcing means.

4. A clutch comprising two relatively rotatable members, a floating shoeadapted to frictionally engage one of said members, re-

silient toggle means between said shoe and the other member, said togglemeans being operable through relative rotation of said members to forcethe shoe toward the mem- .ber with which it engages, wedge means to"force the toggle -ineans into operating position, and means to retractsaid wedge means.

5. A clutch comprising two relatively rotatable members, a floating shoeadapted to frictionally engage one of said members, resilient. togglemeans between said shoe and the other member, said toggle means beingoperable by relative rotation of said members to force the shoe towardthe member with'which it engages, a wedge to force tho toggle means intooperating position, spring to move the wedge into toggle forcingposition, and means to retract the wedge against the force of thespring.

6.*A clutch comprising two relatively rotatable members, a floating shoeadapted to frictionally engage y)ne of saidI members,

resilient toggle means between said shoe and lthe other member, saidtoggle means being operable by relative rotation of said members ineither direction to force the shoe toward the member with which itengages, a wedge to force the toggle means into operating position, aspring to move the wedge into toggle forcing position, and means toretract the wedge against the force of the spring.

7. A clutch comprising two relatively rotatable members, a floating shoeadapted to frict-ionally engage one of said members, oppositely disposedtoggle-bars between said shoe and the other member, resilient means forapplying the pressure of the toggle-bars yieldingly to the shoe to forcethe shoe toward the member with which it engages,l

means to normally force the toggle-bars into operating position, andmeans to retract the toggle-bar forcing means.

8. A clutch comprising two 'relatively rotatable members, floating shoesadapted to frictionally engage one of said members, resilient togglemeans between said shoes and the other member, said toggle means beingoperable by relative rotation of said members in either direction toforce the shoes toward the member with which they engage, wedges toforce the toggle means into operating position, a slidable sleeveengaging the wedges, a spring to move thel sleeve linto toggle forcingposition, a latch to normally hold the sleeve in toggle forcingposition, a slidable collar to unlatch the silient togglemeans betweensaid shoes and the other member, said toggle means being operable byrelative rotation of said members in either direction to force ltheshoes toward the member with which they engage, wedges to force thetoggle means into operating position, a slidable sleeve enga g thewedges, a spring to move the sleeve mto toggle forcing position, a latchtolnormally hold the sleeve in toggle forcing position, a slidablecollar to vunlatch the latch and-retract the sleeve from the toggleforcing position against the force of the spring, means to control thetension of the spring'and to adjust the latch, and means to operate thecollar.

10. In a clutch the combination withtwo relatively. rotatable members,of shoes to frictionall'y engage one of said members, resilient togglemeans between #said shoes and the other member, said toggle means beingoperable by relative rotation of said members in either direction toforce the shoes toward the member with which they engage, wedgesadapted/to move simulta neously in direction parallel with and normal tothe axis of rotation of said members, a slidable sleeve coaxial with'the wedges and provided with slots to accommodate the ends of thewedges, and also provided with an annular groove, pins protruding fromthe wedges, engaging and radially shiftable within the annulargroove inthe sleeve an means to operate the sleeve.

11. In a clutch the combination with two relatively rotatable members,of floatingV shoes to frictionally engage one of said members, resilienttoggle means between said shoes and the other member, said toggle'meansbeing operable by relative rotationof said members in either directionto force the shoes toward the member with which'theyengage, wedgesadapted to move simultaneously in directions parallel with.

in the sleeve, a spring to move the sleeveinto toggle-forcing position,a latch to normally hold the sleeve in toggle-forcing position, aslidable collar to unlatch the latch and retract the sleeve from thevtoggleforcing position against the force of the spring, and means tooperate the collar.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at ILos Angeles,California, this 13th day of May, 1910.

GEO. cUsHiNe MARTiN.

' In presence of- JAMES R. TowNsEND, L. BELLE RICE.

